ABSTRACT
Diabetes mellitus has become the most prevalent metabolic disease worldwide. The edible leaves of Red cabbage(Brassica oleracea L.) is one of the most regularly consumed vegetables in Arabic countries. Thus, it was ofinterest to assess the hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic impacts of ethanolic (50 %) extract of the leaves of redcabbage on blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and lipid profile in streptozotocin (STZ)-induceddiabetic rats. Diabetes was induced in male Wistar rats by injecting rats with 60 mg/Kg bodyweight ofstreptozotocin. Diabetic rats demonstrated a significant increase in serum glucose, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c)total cholesterol (TC), and triacylglycerol (TG). Daily oral supplementation (250 mg/Kg body weight) of extractof red cabbage leaves for 40 days to STZ-induced diabetic rats significantly ameliorated HbA1c (p < 0.01), TG(p < 0.01), serum glucose (p < 0.01), and TC (p < 0.01). By comparison, a standard anti-hyperglycemic drug,Glibenclamide, when administered at a dose of 10 mg/kg body weight, decreased TC, blood glucose, HbA1c, andTGs levels. It is concluded that the ethanolic extract of red cabbage decreased the blood levels of HbA1c, glucose,and lipids and it was more efficient than Glibenclamide in reducing blood glucose.